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Lot Essay
It is always exciting when any reference 1518, one of the rarest and most significant of all Patek Philippe watches, is offered at auction and even more so when that watch is one of only 58 pieces made in pink gold, with just 45 publicly known today. Among those 45 surviving pink gold examples, the present watch stands out as one of only 12 known to have a pink dial, often referred to as 'pink on pink'. In common with many of Patek Philippe’s pink gold watches, this perpetual calendar chronograph is likely to have been intended for the Latin American market and therefore features the days of the week and months calendar indications in Spanish.
With much the same ethos as a ground-up rebuild of a classic car, the present watch was fully and expertly restored by Patek Philippe in the 1990s. Following close inspection by the foremost scholars of Patek Philippe, there is no question that the solid gold dial plate with pink finish is original to this watch, and indeed the Extract from the Archives also confirms that the dial is 'rose, with Arabic numerals in gold'. The resurfacing and restoration would have been carried out by Stern Frères for Patek Philippe and has been done keeping as much as possible of the original engraved-enamelled inscriptions and original pink-finished surface tone.
The case remains in very good overall condition, retaining excellent proportions even after 75 years. Both hallmarks are clearly legible, and the crown and pushers are likely to be original. This watch stands as a wonderful and eminently wearable example of the absolutely iconic reference 1518, one of only a dozen 'Pink on Pink' known to exist today. Patek Philippe itself regards the reference 1518 as one of the models that represent the true custodians of their heritage, indeed reference 1518, showcased here by this stunning pink gold second series watch is hard to beat as one of the all-time classics.
The Dial
Made circa 1948-49 by Stern Frères, Second series, Mark 2, made by Stern Frères on a solid gold plate, with engraved enamelled short Patek Philippe, Genève signature, engraved sunken registers, pink surface finish, engraved-enamelled seconds scale, tachymeter scale, date and 30-minute register. The moon phase is artisan enamelled on a gold base plate. The ‘feuille’ hour and minutes hands are gold, the subsidiary seconds hand, chronograph and the register hand are made from flamed blued steel.
The Case
Made in 1948 by Emile Vichet, one of the all-time best Geneva Master case makers and is punched with his mark of number 9 within a key. Of three-piece construction with snapped bezel and back. The crown is the smaller type used until 1949.
The Movement
Made in 1948, cal. 13’’’130 Q, rhodium plated brass, based on a valjoux 13’’’ ébauche, finished by Patek Philippe to the highest standards of the time, under dial modifications by the Victorin Piguet workshop in order to receive the perpetual calendar function, 23 jewels, monometallic balance with 8 adjustments, micrometric precision regulator.
We are grateful to Eric and Gabriel Tortella for their assistance and study in researching this watch.
Reference 1518
Since its launch in 1941, the reference 1518 has always been one of the most desired of all Patek Philippe’s complicated wristwatches. The 1518 and its companion reference 1526 were the first ever perpetual calendar wristwatches to be made in series by any manufacturer. In production from 1941 to 1954, the total output is a meagre 281 pieces. It is known in yellow and pink gold, as well few examples in steel. Its scarcity frustrated dozens of clients, as it was reserved for the most prominent Patek Philippe patrons such as Henry Graves Jr, the King of Jordan and the King of Egypt. The case design of the model underwent a subtle evolution over the years: the first examples featured the chronograph pushers to the centre of the band and the date correctors closer to the upper edge.
Later, the pushers are found closer to the lower edge of the band, and the correctors are moved slightly down as well. Transitional models between the first and second case design present a thicker case body and thinner band, while later the case body is less prominent in favour of a more important bezel. Gold cases were made by Emile Vichet (case maker’s number 9, inscribed in a key). For 45 years, the reference 1518 and reference 2499 were equipped with calibre 13 Q (13 130 Q) a Valjoux ébauche, first upgraded and finished to the highest standards for that time, in Patek’s workshop, then modified under the dial, by Victorin Piguet workshops, to receive the perpetual calendar function.
Demand has always outstripped supply of the reference 1518, any examples supplied to lucky official Patek Philippe agents tended to only be offered to their most important and exacting clients. According to research, only 281 examples were made until 1954, the majority cased in yellow gold. The model was later replaced by the equally legendary reference 2499, also a perpetual calendar chronograph, but with a wider diameter and fluted lugs.
With much the same ethos as a ground-up rebuild of a classic car, the present watch was fully and expertly restored by Patek Philippe in the 1990s. Following close inspection by the foremost scholars of Patek Philippe, there is no question that the solid gold dial plate with pink finish is original to this watch, and indeed the Extract from the Archives also confirms that the dial is 'rose, with Arabic numerals in gold'. The resurfacing and restoration would have been carried out by Stern Frères for Patek Philippe and has been done keeping as much as possible of the original engraved-enamelled inscriptions and original pink-finished surface tone.
The case remains in very good overall condition, retaining excellent proportions even after 75 years. Both hallmarks are clearly legible, and the crown and pushers are likely to be original. This watch stands as a wonderful and eminently wearable example of the absolutely iconic reference 1518, one of only a dozen 'Pink on Pink' known to exist today. Patek Philippe itself regards the reference 1518 as one of the models that represent the true custodians of their heritage, indeed reference 1518, showcased here by this stunning pink gold second series watch is hard to beat as one of the all-time classics.
The Dial
Made circa 1948-49 by Stern Frères, Second series, Mark 2, made by Stern Frères on a solid gold plate, with engraved enamelled short Patek Philippe, Genève signature, engraved sunken registers, pink surface finish, engraved-enamelled seconds scale, tachymeter scale, date and 30-minute register. The moon phase is artisan enamelled on a gold base plate. The ‘feuille’ hour and minutes hands are gold, the subsidiary seconds hand, chronograph and the register hand are made from flamed blued steel.
The Case
Made in 1948 by Emile Vichet, one of the all-time best Geneva Master case makers and is punched with his mark of number 9 within a key. Of three-piece construction with snapped bezel and back. The crown is the smaller type used until 1949.
The Movement
Made in 1948, cal. 13’’’130 Q, rhodium plated brass, based on a valjoux 13’’’ ébauche, finished by Patek Philippe to the highest standards of the time, under dial modifications by the Victorin Piguet workshop in order to receive the perpetual calendar function, 23 jewels, monometallic balance with 8 adjustments, micrometric precision regulator.
We are grateful to Eric and Gabriel Tortella for their assistance and study in researching this watch.
Reference 1518
Since its launch in 1941, the reference 1518 has always been one of the most desired of all Patek Philippe’s complicated wristwatches. The 1518 and its companion reference 1526 were the first ever perpetual calendar wristwatches to be made in series by any manufacturer. In production from 1941 to 1954, the total output is a meagre 281 pieces. It is known in yellow and pink gold, as well few examples in steel. Its scarcity frustrated dozens of clients, as it was reserved for the most prominent Patek Philippe patrons such as Henry Graves Jr, the King of Jordan and the King of Egypt. The case design of the model underwent a subtle evolution over the years: the first examples featured the chronograph pushers to the centre of the band and the date correctors closer to the upper edge.
Later, the pushers are found closer to the lower edge of the band, and the correctors are moved slightly down as well. Transitional models between the first and second case design present a thicker case body and thinner band, while later the case body is less prominent in favour of a more important bezel. Gold cases were made by Emile Vichet (case maker’s number 9, inscribed in a key). For 45 years, the reference 1518 and reference 2499 were equipped with calibre 13 Q (13 130 Q) a Valjoux ébauche, first upgraded and finished to the highest standards for that time, in Patek’s workshop, then modified under the dial, by Victorin Piguet workshops, to receive the perpetual calendar function.
Demand has always outstripped supply of the reference 1518, any examples supplied to lucky official Patek Philippe agents tended to only be offered to their most important and exacting clients. According to research, only 281 examples were made until 1954, the majority cased in yellow gold. The model was later replaced by the equally legendary reference 2499, also a perpetual calendar chronograph, but with a wider diameter and fluted lugs.